Rephonic
Artwork for The Designated Players

The Designated Players | An MLS Podcast

Andrew Barnikel, Connor Wright
MLS
Major League Soccer
Jaime Moreno
Robbie Keane
Carlos Ruiz
Joseph Martinez
Sebastian Giovinco
US Open Cup
Toronto FC
Houston Dynamo
Clint Dempsey
Landon Donovan
Kei Kamara
Chris Wondolowski
David Beckham
Chicago Fire
Premier League
New England Revolution
Copa America
Don Garber

We are The Designated Players | An MLS Podcast! Your home for all things MLS, Past Present and Future! Hosted by Andrew Barnikel and Connor Wright

PublishesDailyEpisodes448Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
SportsSports NewsNewsSoccer

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Designated Players

Latest Episodes

In this episode, we sit down with Mike from Orlando Lions Den Podcast to chat about the biggest news stories in MLS this week! Orlando City may be bringing over Antione Griezmann to MLS, Apple TV posted some BIG first week numbers, and we give our th... more

YouTube

In this episode, we sit down with Bob from the Designated Pundits to chat about the current state of MLS Media. In a time where the league boasts massive increases in engagement and revenue, media cuts are being made left right and center. Should we ... more

In this episode, we take make our 2026 MLS Predictions! End of Season standings, end of the year awards, and our BOLDEST predictions yet! Let us know your thoughts and predictions in the comments!

Recorded on: 2/8/26

#MLS #MLSCup #mlscupplayoffs #A... more

YouTube

In this episode, we take make our 2026 MLS Predictions! End of Season standings, end of the year awards, and our BOLDEST predictions yet! Let us know your thoughts and predictions in the comments!

Recorded on: 2/14/26

#MLS #MLSCup #mlscupplayoffs #... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Bob V
Soccer analyst and podcaster
The Designated Pundits
Episode: Episode 446: The State Of MLS Media with Bob From The Designated Pundits!
Favian Renkel
Friend of the pod and official host at KickBase USA
KickBase USA
Episode: Episode 445: What We Missed This MLS Offseason ft Favian Renkel!
Brian Mauer
Content creator and podcaster at Top In 90
Top In 90
Episode: Episode 440: A Not So Deep Dive Into Charlotte FC's 2026 Season ft TopBin90!
Matt Baker
Covers St. Louis City details, including training and game analysis.
Flyover Footy
Episode: Episode 439: A Not So Deep Dive Into St Louis City's 2026 Season ft Flyover Footy!
Kerry Redman
Member of the New York Red Bulls Discussion Group Podcast and an insightful fan.
New York Red Bulls Discussion Group Podcast
Episode: Episode 436: A Not So Deep Dive Into Red Bull New York's 2026 Season ft NYRBDG Podcast!
Mitchell Carroll
Co-host of Commerce City Radio, soccer analyst
Commerce City Radio
Episode: Episode 433: A Not So Deep Dive Into Colorado Rapids' 2026 Season ft Commerce City Radio!
Adam Susman
Sports commentator and creator for The Timber Review
The Timber Review
Episode: Episode 425: A Not So Deep Dive Into The Portland Timbers' 2026 Season ft Adam Susman!
Jerald Lucas
Sports journalist and co-host of The Wisemen Say Podcast
Babel USA
Episode: Episode 424: A Not So Deep Dive Into Columbus Crew's 2026 Season ft The Wisemen Say Podcast!
Ben Wright
Sports journalist covering Nashville SC and MLS
SixOneFive Soccer
Episode: Episode 420: A Not So Deep Dive Into Nashville SC's 2026 Season ft Ben Wright from SixOneFive Soccer!

Hosts

Andrew Barnikel
Co-host of The Designated Players | An MLS Podcast
Connor Wright
Co-host of The Designated Players | An MLS Podcast

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 39 ratings
  • Good pod

    Guys do a good job and are talented at podcasting. However knowledge could be stronger. For example how can you repeatedly call the league MVP “Luchy.” It’s Lucho. And similar mistakes that makes me wonder how much soccer you watch. It’s like having an nba podcast and calling him “dabron james.”

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    CompetitivePokemonAllTheWay
    United States2 years ago
  • English

    Please learn how to speak English

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    g3423
    United States2 years ago
  • Great Podcast to get your weekly MLS updates, awesome interview guests from all over the country, and a real fun time overall!

    Podchaser
    5
    Andrew Barnikel
    6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the hosts' engaging style and knowledge of MLS, often praising their analysis and insights into matches and team strategies.
Some feedback mentions concerns over accuracy, suggesting that the hosts should work on improving their knowledge of players and league details.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#174
United States/Sports/Soccer
Apple Podcasts
#201
Russia/Sports/Soccer

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 446: The State Of MLS Media with Bob From The Designated Pundits!
Q: What do you think about MLS's current media strategy?
Bob believes that concerns regarding the media shift are somewhat exaggerated, but acknowledges that the loss of long-time contributors is troubling.
Episode 436: A Not So Deep Dive Into Red Bull New York's 2026 Season ft NYRBDG Podcast!
Q: Does the system work right out of the gate?
It's going to be a slow start; they need to work on cohesion.
Episode 436: A Not So Deep Dive Into Red Bull New York's 2026 Season ft NYRBDG Podcast!
Q: What is a big question you have for this group as we get to 2026?
Can they close out games?
Episode 435: A Not So Deep Dive Into Houston Dynamo's 2026 Season ft Bayou City Soccer!
Q: What new players should fans be excited about?
Matthew Bogus and Lucas Halter stand out as promising new additions.
Episode 435: A Not So Deep Dive Into Houston Dynamo's 2026 Season ft Bayou City Soccer!
Q: What are your thoughts on the Houston Dynamo's future after a disappointing season?
There was a sense of relief when the disappointing 2025 season finally ended.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Designated Players

What is The Designated Players about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Covering the vibrant landscape of Major League Soccer (MLS), this podcast provides listeners with in-depth analysis, commentary, and predictions on various aspects of the league. Episodes often recap significant matches, discuss player performances, and delve into the implications of coaching changes, all while maintaining an engaging and light-hearted tone. Unique to this show is its blend of tactical discussions and fan-oriented insights, providing both serious analysis and entertaining banter regarding upcoming matches, player trades, and league developments. This creates a rich experience for soccer enthusiasts and fans alike, who can deepen their understanding of MLS and its dynamics through each episode.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Designated Players?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Designated Players. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Designated Players and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Designated Players get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Designated Players, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Designated Players?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Designated Players, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Designated Players have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Designated Players has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Designated Players?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Designated Players:

1. MLS Aces Podcast
2. Battered MLS Fans
3. The Designated Pundits | MLS Analysis, Expert Picks, and Insider Discussions
4. Soccerwise
5. Pardon My Take

How many episodes of The Designated Players are there?

The Designated Players launched 6 years ago and published 448 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Designated Players?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Designated Players?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Designated Players from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Designated Players?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Designated Players. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Designated Players?

Recent guests on The Designated Players include:

1. Bob V
2. Favian Renkel
3. Brian Mauer
4. Matt Baker
5. Kerry Redman
6. Mitchell Carroll
7. Adam Susman
8. Jerald Lucas

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days